The purpose of this note is to analyze male excess mortality in relation to general mortality trends in a country with low levels of mortality, using Italian data for the period 1951-1981, and to examine the effect of this excess male mortality on the sex distribution of the population.  Consideration is given to the apparent paradox whereby "at least during the first half of life, the sex ratio increases when excess male mortality increases.  This paradox shows that the index traditionally used for measuring the disadvantage of men with regard to survival, is not the most appropriate one." (SUMMARY IN ENG AND SPA)